Heuchera plant named ‘Carmencita’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Heuchera  named ‘Carmencita’ that is characterized by its floriferous blooming habit, its long flowering period, its compact plant habit, its good sun tolerance with very little to no scorching observed and its foliage that is red-purple in color with a glossy surface.

Botanical classification: Heuchera hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Carmencita’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heucheraof hybrid origin, botanically known as a Heuchera and is hereinafterreferred to by its cultivar name ‘Carmencita’.

The new cultivar arose from an ongoing breeding program conducted by theInventor at his nursery in Hantay, France. The objectives of thebreeding program were to select cultivars that were floriferous withdistinct foliage coloration. The new cultivar was discovered as a chanceseedling in a trial plot in March of 2013. The trial plot containedhundreds of cultivars and proprietary seedlings of Heuchera from theInventor's breeding program. The parentage of ‘Carmencita’ is thereforeunknown.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished under thedirection of the Inventor by in vitro propagation of meristem tissue inRijswijk, The Netherlands in in April of 2014. Asexual propagation ofthe new cultivar by stem cuttings and in vitro propagation has shownthat the unique features are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Carmencita’ as a new and unique cultivar of Heuchera.

-   -   1. ‘Carmencita’ exhibits a very floriferous blooming habit.    -   2. ‘Carmencita’ exhibits a long flowering period.    -   3. ‘Carmencita’ exhibits a compact plant habit.    -   4. ‘Carmencita’ exhibits good sun tolerance with very little to        no scorching observed.    -   5. ‘Carmencita’ exhibits foliage that is red-purple in color        with a glossy surface.

‘Carmencita’ can be most closely compared to the Heuchera cultivars‘Beujolais’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,577) and ‘Pink Pearls’ (U.S. PlantPat. No. 27,530). ‘Beujolais’ is similar to ‘Carmencita’ in havingfoliage that has similar red colorations. ‘Beujolais’ differs from‘Carmencita’ in having foliage that has mottled silver coloration and inhaving a much less floriferous blooming habit. ‘Pink Pearls’ is similarto ‘Carmencita’ in having a floriferous blooming habit and in having along flowering period. ‘Pink Pearls’ differs from ‘Carmencita’ in havingflowers that are smaller in size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Heuchera. The photographs weretaken of a plant 18-months in age as grown in a poly covered greenhousein a 25-cm container in Hantay, France.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of the plant habit of‘Carmencita’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of the spring foliage of‘Carmencita’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a leaf in summer of‘Carmencita’.

The colors in the photographs are as close as possible with the digitalphotography techniques available, the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description accurately describe the colors of the newHeuchera.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 18 month-old plants of thenew cultivar as grown in a poly covered greenhouse in 25-cm containersin Hantay, France. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary withvariations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as ithas not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. Thecolor determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—An average of 4 weeks in late spring to            early autumn in France.        -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant habit.—Compact, clump-forming, mounded foliage.        -   Height and spread.—Average of 31 cm in height from soil to            top of leaves and 62.9 cm from soil to top of inflorescences            and 66.5 cm in width.        -   Hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zones 3 to 9.        -   Diseases and pests.—Not susceptibility or resistance to            diseases and pests has been observed.        -   Environmental stresses.—Good sun tolerant with very little            to no scorching observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous roots on woody rootstalks, 163B in            color.        -   Branching habit.—Flowering stem emerge from basal rosettes,            no lateral branches.        -   Propagation.—In vitro propagation is the preferred method,            stem cuttings and division are also possible.        -   Growth rate.—Moderately vigorous.-   Stem description (peduncle, flowering stem):    -   -   Shape.—Round.        -   Stem color.—N186D.        -   Stem size.—An average of 3.5 mm in diameter and 50 cm in            length.        -   Stem strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Stem aspect.—Flowering stems grow in an average angle of 70°            to soil level (0°=horizontal).        -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy, densely covered with soft            pubescence, average of 0.75 mm in length, N186D in color.        -   Stem number.—Average of 22 flowering stems.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Orbicular to broad ovate.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Hastate, moderately to strongly overlapping.        -   Leaf apex.—Obtuse, outer tip very short mucronate.        -   Leaf venation.—Laciniate, upper vein color; young leaves in            between N199B to 200D, mature leaves 147A, lower vein color;            young leaves in between N186D to 187D, mature leaves N186C.        -   Leaf margins.—Lobed with average of 7 lobes per leaf, lobe            margins bi-crenate.        -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate, basal rosettes.        -   Leaf orientation.—Typically nearly horizontal to petiole and            slightly cupped.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper side moderately glossy, lower side very            slightly glossy, both sides moderately covered with short            strigose hairs an average length of 0.8 mm and 155A in            color.        -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 185A and 187C, young lower            surface; 187D, mature upper surface; N199B to 200D, older            leaves 147A, mature lower surface; between N186D to 187C,            older leaves N186C.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 13.5 cm in length and 13.2 cm in            width.        -   Leaf quantity.—31 per basal rosette.        -   Petioles.—Average of 20.1 cm in length and 4 mm in width,            color N186C, surface covered with dense soft pubescence,            average of 2 mm in length and 155A in color.        -   Bracts.—One at the base of each leaf, linear-subulate in            shape, narrow acute apex, with an average of 2.1 cm in            length and 8 mm in width, N186D in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Numerous small bell-shaped flowers            arranged on pyramidal panicles on flower scapes emerging            from the base of the rosette.        -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 24.7 cm in height            (excluding peduncle; measured from lowest flower to top),            average of 51.1 cm in height from base of peduncle to top            and 10.7 cm in width.        -   Inflorescence number.—An average of 15.        -   Flower fragrance.—None.        -   Flower arrangement.—Axillary panicle.        -   Flower quantity.—Average of 750 flowers per flowering stem.        -   Flower lastingness.—Average of one week, self cleaning.        -   Flower buds.—Obovate in shape, an average of 3 mm in            diameter and 5 mm in length, 62A to 63C, top is 69D in            color.        -   Flower aspect.—Outward to slightly nodding.        -   Flower type.—Campanulate.        -   Flower size.—About 7 mm in depth and diameter.        -   Petals.—About 5, rotate arrangement and implanted in the            hypanthium at base, oblanceolate in shape, margin is entire,            apex is acute, upper and lower surface is matte and            glabrous, color of upper and lower surface when opening and            fully open; NN155D, not fading, average of 4 mm in length            and 1 mm in width.        -   Calyx.—Campanulate, sepals fused to hypanthium, 6 mm in            length and 5.5 mm in diameter.        -   Sepals.—5, fused, campanulate hypanthium, oblong in shape,            average of 6 mm in length and 1.75 mm in width, margin is            entire, apex is obtuse, fused base, surfaces are matte,            outer side is moderately covered with very short glandular            hairs 0.25 mm in length and between 62A to 62B in color,            color: immature and mature upper surface; 69C, base is 68C            to 68D, immature and mature lower surface; 62A to 63C.        -   Pedicels.—Average of 4 mm in length and 0.5 mm in diameter,            184C to 184D in color, moderate strength, average angle of            45° (0°=horizontal).-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistils; 2, 4 mm in length, stigma; is pointed in            shape, N155D in color, styles; 3.75 mm in length and N155D            in color, ovaries; 155A in color.        -   Androcoecium.—Average of 5 stamens, anthers; ovate in shape,            average of 0.5 mm in length and 169D in color, filament; 2.5            mm in length and NN155D in color, pollen is low in quantity            and 170C to 170D in color.        -   Seed/fruit.—No fruit or seeds were observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of hybrid Heuchera plantnamed ‘Carmencita’ as herein illustrated and described.